Murder Mystery Involves Former Cleveland Photographer

By RON HARRIS, Associated Press Writer

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - The body of a missing newspaper photographer has been found outside a cemetery near her home.

Luci S. Houston, 43, was missing for nearly a week, and her body found Sunday. The Washington, D.C., native started working as a staff photographer for the Mercury News in 1993. Previously, she had been a staff photographer for The Plain Dealer in Cleveland.

Police believe she was murdered, but wouldn't disclose the cause of death. Her body was found in her car Sunday, covered by a tarp, and appeared to have been there for a few days, investigators said.

The Alameda County coroner had not positively identified the body. The office did not return a phone call Monday.

Family members and friends said they had not seen or heard from Houston since Nov. 20. She had planned to pick up a friend from Oakland International Airport on Wednesday and attend a Thanksgiving get-together Thursday, they said.

Houston was known to be punctual; friends said she would call people she was assigned to photograph if she was running even five minutes late.

Houston's co-workers spent the first part of Sunday handing out fliers with her picture and a description of the car she had been driving.

When Jim Gensheimer, a fellow Mercury News photographer, handed a flier to an Oakland police officer, the officer told him that a body had been found near Evergreen Cemetery. Co-workers later gathered there.

"It's just very weird," Gensheimer said. "I've covered a lot of things like this. You never expect it to be a co-worker. I ended up taking some pictures, because I didn't know what else to do."